Formal Training

Ye Xi and Tian Yao followed behind Golden Crocodile, though Tian Yao remained one stride ahead of Ye Xi.

Ye Xi looked at Tian Yao, who was one stride ahead of her, but showed no sign of impatience. Instead, she adjusted her breathing and conserved as much strength as possible.

After all, Golden Crocodile had made it very clear: as long as they could keep up with him and did not fall behind, that was enough.

There was still about an hour and a half until breakfast. If they exhausted themselves by sprinting at full speed from the start, they would definitely lack the stamina to continue later.

So, they had to conserve as much strength as they could at the beginning.

Meanwhile, a barely noticeable smile appeared on Tian Yao's face as she kept one stride ahead of Ye Xi.

She had begun cultivating two years before Ye Xi. During training, she could not possibly perform worse than Ye Xi, who had only just awakened her martial soul. Her expectations were not high—so long as she could stay one step ahead of Ye Xi, she would be satisfied.

Golden Crocodile, at the very front, kept an eye on their condition. After noticing that both of them could easily keep up with the current pace, he gradually increased his speed.

As time slowly passed,

sweat gradually appeared on Ye Xi and Tian Yao's foreheads, and their steps grew much heavier.

Yet Ye Xi's breathing remained steady, and her gaze was still focused.

Tian Yao's breathing, however, was much more ragged than Ye Xi's. She could still keep up, but it was becoming rather difficult.

Seeing their condition, Golden Crocodile increased his speed a little more. Only when Ye Xi and Tian Yao began struggling to keep up did he maintain that pace.

"At this speed, it may be somewhat difficult for those two to keep up with Golden Crocodile."

Third Offering Azure Luan watched Ye Xi and Tian Yao train, speaking thoughtfully.

"That is precisely what makes it effective training. If they could complete it easily, would there still be any need for training?"

Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back, calmly watching the two train.

"Mm, but I think the Combat Skills training this afternoon will be the hardest part."

Azure Luan thought for a moment, then shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Qian Daoliu, standing beside him, merely watched in silence and did not speak again.

Soon, the morning training came to an end.

Ye Xi sat in a pavilion, panting heavily as she lightly pounded her legs to ease their soreness.

Tian Yao, meanwhile, lay on the grass, gasping for breath and not wanting to move at all.

"Xiao Xi, Tian Yao, you both did very well."

"Come on. Grandpa Golden Crocodile will take you to breakfast."

As Golden Crocodile spoke, he looked the two of them over with satisfaction.

"Okay, Grandpa Golden Crocodile."

Ye Xi answered and stood up. After training for an entire morning, she really was hungry.

The moment Tian Yao, who was lying on the grass, heard the word breakfast, her eyes lit up at once.

"Grandpa, then let's go quickly."

Tian Yao sprang up from the ground and spoke eagerly.

Golden Crocodile led the two of them to a pavilion.

A huge stone table stood inside the pavilion, covered with delicious dishes.

Qian Daoliu and Azure Luan sat before the stone table, quietly waiting for them to arrive.

"Grandpa, Grandpa Azure Luan."

Ye Xi sweetly called out to Qian Daoliu and Azure Luan at the stone table.

"First Offering, Third Offering."

Tian Yao bowed respectfully to them, her voice full of deference.

"You must both be hungry. Come, eat."

Qian Daoliu beckoned to them, his voice warm and kindly.

After everyone took their seats, they began sampling the food on the stone table.

Perhaps she really was hungry, because Ye Xi ate one more bowl of rice than usual.

After eating and drinking her fill, Ye Xi could not help looking toward Golden Crocodile and Tian Yao.

Golden Crocodile's martial soul was the Golden Crocodile King, and he followed the path of body cultivation, so he had a huge appetite.

But what surprised Ye Xi was that Tian Yao ate just as much. If she remembered correctly, Tian Yao had already eaten thirteen bowls of rice—and they were large bowls.

Seeming to notice Ye Xi's gaze, Tian Yao's ears reddened slightly as she put down her bowl.

"Cough."

"Second Young Lady, like Grandpa, I follow the path of body cultivation, so I usually eat a little more."

After saying that, Tian Yao picked up her bowl again and continued eating.

"Mm..."

After responding, Ye Xi withdrew her gaze.

Yet her eyes still drifted toward Tian Yao from time to time. She was rather curious how Tian Yao's small body could possibly hold so much food.

About ten minutes later, Tian Yao finally put down her bowl with satisfaction.

"Xiao Xi, come with me."

Azure Luan stood and beckoned to Ye Xi, but did not move. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Golden Crocodile.

"Tian Yao, you should come along too."

As Golden Crocodile spoke, he patted Tian Yao on the shoulder.

"Okay, Grandpa."

Tian Yao answered, then followed behind Azure Luan together with Ye Xi.

After Azure Luan lightly nodded to Qian Daoliu and Golden Crocodile, he led the two girls toward a room.

Azure Luan brought them to a spacious room. Two enormous bookshelves stood inside, filled with books.

"You two, find somewhere to sit."

After telling them to sit wherever they liked, Azure Luan took two books roughly ten centimeters thick from the shelves.

"I do not have much to teach you. Once you have learned all of this, that should be about enough."

Azure Luan spoke calmly and pointed at the books placed before them.

"With books this thick, it'll probably take us quite a while to learn them."

Tian Yao looked helplessly at the books before her as she spoke.

She truly had no interest in reading. If she had a choice, she would rather train her body with her Grandpa than sit here and read.

Ye Xi, seated beside her, nodded in agreement. Even with her gift of photographic memory, she would still need three to five days to learn books this thick.

"What you have in front of you is the table of contents. What you truly need to learn is every book in this room."

Azure Luan smiled faintly as he looked at the two of them.

Hearing Azure Luan's words, Tian Yao blinked and silently swept her gaze over the books in the room, feeling as though the sky had fallen.

Ye Xi also glanced at the books in the room, but merely nodded without saying anything.

Seeing their expressions, Azure Luan smiled and began explaining.

Azure Luan explained everything in great detail. Ye Xi listened attentively, while Tian Yao beside her looked utterly lost.

Tian Yao recognized every word Azure Luan said, but once they were put together, she could not understand them at all. It was as though she were listening to an incomprehensible heavenly book, making her drowsy.

The longer Tian Yao listened, the sleepier she became. Her eyes gradually drooped, and her head bobbed little by little, as though she could fall asleep at any moment.